The Price of Deception
by MissingMommy
Summary: Regulus lies to the Dark Lord to stop the pain. Barty has to deal with consequences. :: RegBarty, for Chels


I'm the Harpies' Captain for season 6.

For Chels. I hope you enjoy this!

* * *

Every muscle in Regulus' body screams. His back arches with the pain, and he bites his lip until it bleeds to keep himself from crying out. But as quick as the pain starts, it stops. Despite not wanting to move, he pushes himself up until he's kneeling at the Dark Lord's feet. He doesn't let the shame of several other Death Eaters watching his punishment bother him.

"I wanted the Goblins on our side," the Dark Lord says, his voice sharp.

"They wanted the sword of Gryffindor," he says, his words measured carefully. "The real one."

He realizes a moment too late that it's the wrong thing to say; he sounded like he was making an excuse, and he was, but he didn't mean it that way. He feels the Cruciatus curse once more. Through his teeth, he manages to spit out, "I recruited another."

The spell is lifted and Regulus pants. He throws up mental walls that he's been practicing, hoping that they are enough to hide his thoughts from the Legilimency that he's undoubtedly using to assess Regulus's motives. He knows that if his master finds that he's lying, he will be killed.

"What did you say?"

"I recruited another. Bartemius Crouch Junior." His lover's name rolls off his tongue so easily, but this time, it tastes bitter in his mouth. "He's a pureblood from old money. His father is Head of the Aurors. He can get access to his father's work."

The Dark Lord taps his wand against his lips contemplatively. "Bring him to me tomorrow."

Regulus nods. "Yes, my Lord."

He takes it as the dismissal it is and Apparates away. When he appears in his bathroom, he stumbles, grabbing onto the sink for balance. He closes his eyes and takes several calming breaths. When he opens them and looks in the mirror, he's greeted with the face of a madman.

He scrubs a hand across his face. He's been wanting out of the Death Eaters since before he swore loyalty, when Bellatrix had waxed poetically about the hero of purebloods and his parents eyes had glimmered at the idea of the Blacks being at the center of revolution. He hates that he is the only heir his parents had left because it meant he had no choice but to join; he wasn't a Gryffindor like his brother, who would've stood up for himself.

And now, he's either signed both of their death certificates or condemned Barty to swear loyalty to the Dark Lord; he's not sure which is worse. There's nothing he can do about it now but speak to Barty.

He goes for the two way mirror he keeps by his bedside. He says his lover's name and waits. It doesn't take long for Barty to answer. Regulus' stomach knots when he answers.

"We need to meet," he tells Barty.

"Same place, twenty minutes," Barty says.

Then the connection is disconnected and Regulus puts the mirror down. He Apparates to the park that's not far from Barty's house. He realizes as his feet touch the ground that he should've Apparated to the closest alley and walked. He's thankful the lack of moonlight hides his sudden appearance.

The wait only worsens his mood. Barty is certainly rebellious, which is what drew Regulus to him.

"What's so urgent?"

It draws Regulus out of his thoughts. His lover pulls out a pack of cigarettes, offering one to Regulus before lighting them both. Regulus takes a long drag, letting his lung fill until they burn, before exhaling.

He starts at the beginning. "I'm a Death Eater."

Barty rolls his eyes. "Tell me something I don't know."

"I had a mission to convince the Goblins to fight for the Dark Lord and I failed it," he says evenly. "There was punishment."

His lover looks impatient as he throws the cigarette butt on the ground and steps on it. "Still doesn't explain the urgency."

"I told the Dark Lord you would swear loyalty to him. Tomorrow. He's expecting—"

"Stop right there," Barty commands, holding his hand up. "You did what?"

Regulus tenses, his half-smoked cigarette falls to the ground as he repeats himself. "I swore your loyalty. And if you don't, he will know I lied to him and he'll kill me for the deception."

He feels the weight of his boyfriend's blue eyes. He doesn't have to look up to know Barty's glaring at him. "What if I didn't want to?"

"He'll kill us both," he replies honestly. He wants to apologize but it can't take back what he's already done.

He knows Barty has heard about the Dark Lord and his followers from his father, but he's never asked Barty's view on them. He can tell the other man doesn't like the idea of joining by the way he runs his hand through his straw-colored hair before lighting another cigarette. Barty has always been good at the little rebellions—smoking, hanging out with a Black, not achieving the EEs or Os he's more than capable of making—but Regulus has never seen him openly defy his father.

It's a long time before Barty speaks. "I guess I have little choice in this."

"How well can you ward off Legilimens?" he asks. "The Dark Lord will be looking for any thread of evidence that I am lying."

"I can hold my own," his lover scoffs.

Regulus hates the way he has to push the subject. Before Barty can say anything, he's seeing inside the man's mind. He watches as Barty's father ignores him in favor for the breakfast his mother laid out.

He doesn't get further than that before he's pushed out of Barty's mind. He's surprised by the speed.

"I told you I can handle my own," Barty growls. "I'll meet you here in the early afternoon."

Before Regulus gets a chance to respond, his lover turns on his heels and stalks away. He closes his eyes. He hates the way that he's forced Barty into joining the Death Eaters.

* * *

Years later, Regulus lays awake next to his lover, and has never felt lonelier. Despite Barty hating the idea of joining, he's come to enjoy the work that makes Regulus' stomach twist with disgust. He watched as Barty twisted into something he doesn't recognize.

He swallows back the apology that threatens to escape as he pulls away from the blond to try to set it right. It's the only thing he can do for Barty now.

* * *

Hogwarts, Assignment 3, Gardening, Task 11 - Snapdragon: Write about deception

Gift tag: RegBarty, lonely

Insane: 327. Spell - Legilmens

365: 102. Dialogue - "Stop right there!"

Character Appreciation: 17. Word: Apology

Cookie's crafts: purl stitch - Write from the perspective of a Death Eater

Showtime: 10. (action) Lying

Amber's Attic: S3 - Write about a member of the Black family

Buttons: O4 - Cigarette

Lyrics: 1. I am not a stranger to the dark

Em's Emporium: 3. Write a marauder era fic

Angel's Arcade: 18. Kitana: (color) blue, (theme) deceit, (action) glaring

Lo's Lowdown: Q7 - "Light thinks it travels faster than anything but it is wrong. No matter how fast light travels, it finds the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it." Terry Pratchett

Bex's: C3 - write about someone lying for a good reason

Film: 59. (word) Deception

Days: Snake - Write about your favourite Slytherin character

Flowers: Hydrangea - (phrase) 'Old Money'

Elemental: (pairing) Barty/Regulus

Musicals: 50. write about being forced to do something

Gobstones: gold - failure; 15 - heir, 17 - tension, 7 - mirror

Tearoom: Crispy Chickpea & Beetroot Wrap: (word) Thread

Dragons: 1076

Writing month: 1076


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